Zinaida Kadic, who went to Germany just before the war, and stayed there to live and work, is helping many people and found a job and secure the future of many. Her work today is the recruitment of labor from BiH (medical professionals and care), and she can secure up to 70 workplaces on an annual basis.
With a name of Zinaida Kadic from Bihac can stand a variety of functions, such as a mediator in employment or an authorized associate for integration of medical personnel from BiH in Germany. But more important than her function is the fact that Zinaida employed around 600 fellow citizens in the field of medical care over the last six to seven years in Germany. She was the first person able to finish the work permit for citizens of BiH in Germany even at a time when we did not have signed international agreement with that country.
Her story in Germany started in 1992, when she came on vacation. Unfortunately, war already started in Croatia, and as Bihac is located at the border area, Zinaida was unable to return home. With two suitcases in her hands and a diploma of secondary chemical-technical school she went from door to door, looking for a job and simultaneously learning a language.
“My first job was in a nursing home near Munich, then I moved to a clinic, where I met my future husband, got married and became a mother. But I knew I could do more, so I enrolled in the Faculty of Economics. After finishing, I immediately got a job in a company where I had already worked as a nurse to work as a marketing manager. The company, in fact, had nursing homes and hotels. I spent 9 following years working as a marketing manager, and that was the best school of management for me,“ recalled Zinaida, revealing that she then moved to work in Bremen for the clinic “AHA”, which then opened the company “Convivo” (company of retirement homes).
“One time, I was sitting with the owner of the company and he complained to me that they cannot find a quality workforce for elderly care. He gave a lot of money for ads in newspapers, but all of that was in vain. I told him that he can find the people he need in BiH, but that the problem is to bring these people to Germany, since there was no signed agreement between Germany and BiH on the import of labor force. He did not give up and I started studying German laws. I do not know for how long it lasted, but I did not give up. There is no giving up for me. I researched the laws and agreements that BiH had with Germany at the time, and it looked like mission impossible.
And then, while reading, she found the law related to third countries, which includes us. The law stated that if an employer in Germany cannot find the work force in their country, nor in the EU, then they can found it in third countries. That was it.
“I recently signed a contract with a large company “Die Johanniter”, which are represented in the entire Germany. They have more than 103 homes, clinics, nursing homes, and more than 13,000 employees. This is the right moment for medical workers and physicians who are seeking for a safe employer. And those who are already recruited, are opening the door to their colleagues for thousands of jobs,” explained Zinaida, who, despite the fact that she secured future for many, still looks very modestly to her mission of helping others.
“I’m just a small link in everything. Success is not measured by what you do but what is left behind you. I hope to remain one day in a positive memory, that people will be satisfied. I went to Germany with two suitcases and I know what it means to start from zero or below zero. I know what it means to be abroad and go from door to door, to wait for the approval of the visa, when you have a hundred questions, but you do not have any answers. That was my driving force. If I was tortured to do something in life and to go through, then I can use it in order to help others,” said Zinaida.
(Source: akta.ba)
